2008 Presidential Election and Homeschooling
The election is hot and we're all wondering where the candidates stand on homeschooling. I am in the process of finding evidence of candidate stands and will post them here as I find them. If you track down an official source --something from the candidate himeself or herself--please contact me. Let me know what name you want used to credit you for the find.
I make no endorsements. This is just for information purposes.
Over the next several weeks, I will be contacting candidates whose stands I can't find. I'll post their reponses here--and also their lack of response. Check later this week, as I'll list the names of each candidate I contact and allow you to monitor whether or not they let us in on their stand.
New (Thank you to homeschooler Jamison Faught for the first two links):
Mike Huckabee
New: Homeschoolers given some of the credit for Huckabee's second place finish in the Iowa straw poll.
The letter from HSLDA endorsing Mike Huckabee is now on Huckabee's website.
Watch this video about Huckabee's homeschooling views and his work in passing a homeschool law in Arkansas.
On his website: "I have been a strong, consistent supporter of the rights of parents to home school their children, of creating more charter schools, and of public school choice." -- http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=7
Sam Brownback
New: Sam Brownback announces a homeschool coalition. From his website: "I will continue to stand up for the rights, values and opportunities of homeschooling families."
Duncan Hunter
New: From Duncan Hunter's website: " Taking into consideration that approximately 2 million children are taught at home, it is important that we make every effort to ensure these students have the same access and opportunities to federal benefits, such as financial aid, as those who attend public school."
Hillary Clinton
Rumors are circulating that Clinton intends to outlaw homeschooling. This is an unsubstantiated rumor, apparently deriving from the assumptions of a conservative celebrity who took certain comments on preschool and stretched them to suggest she is outlawing homeschooling. However, I have found no evidence that this is something she herself has said. In other words...it's gossip and hyperbole. Please note that I am not saying she supports homeschooling--unless she responds to my requests, I won't know--just that this particular rumor is based on misreading something a certain "commentator" said.
Tom Tancredo
From his website: " I believe in the ability of parents to choose the educational path best suited for their children. I support tax credits for families who choose to allow their children to attend any other institution whether it be a private, parochial, or home school." -- http://www.teamtancredo.com/pdfs/education.pdf
Tom Tancredo's YouTube video on support for homeschooling:
John Edwards
John Edwards and his wife plan to homeschool their children this coming school year so their children can travel with them. Presumably this means he'd have a hard time opposing homeschooling in the future. They plan to have a tutor to help out, particularly with math, but their mother will be doing much of the teaching. (And yes, I still consider it homeschooling. If it's okay to put our child into soccer with a leader other than ourselves, why can't we also hire a tutor to help with math or to take over when mom is campaigning? The important thing is that the parents are in charge of the education.)
Mitt Romney
A YouTube Mitt Romney video in which he expresses approval to a homeschooling mom who asked a question.
Ron Paul
Support of homeschooling is actually on his website.
Candidates contacted so far:
Democrats:
Joe Biden 8/9/07 No response
Hillary Clinton 8/9/07 No response--contacted once before as well with only a form letter that didn't refer to my question.
John Edwards (to see what form his support takes) 8/9/07 No response
Christopher Dodd (8/13) No response
Mike Gravel (8/13) No response
Dennis Kucinich (8/13) No response
Barack Obama (8/13) No response
Bill Richardson (8/13) No response
Republicans :
John McCain (8/20)
Rudy Giuliani (8/20)
Ron Paul (9/12)
(More to be contacted soon. I'm working my way down the list.)
My weekly newsletter will alert visitors to updates on this page. The front page of this site will also alert visitors to updates. In the next few weeks, I intend to begin contacting candidates to ask for their stands on this subject and will post any responses I receive. In addition, I'll continue to search the internet for reliable sources.